55.67 Linear feet (106 containers: 92 legal size document boxes, 2 shoeboxes, 11 flatboxes, 1 large format folder)
5 Film reels (1 35mm, two 16mm, and 2 8mm films)
50.008 Cubic feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Film reels
Date:
1886-1969
Summary:
This collection contains Verville's personal papers. The material relates mainly to his various aeronautical concerns as well as his involvement with military aviation. The collection includes a large number of photos tracing the development of Curtiss aircraft and Naval Aviation, and especially documenting the design, construction, and flights of a replica of the Navy's first aircraft, the Curtiss A-1 'Triad', built under Verville's direction by the Bureau of Aeronautics to commemorate the Fiftieth Anniversary of Naval Aviation in 1961. Also included are a large number of blueprints and photos of Verville-designed aircraft, especially those developed by the Verville Aircraft Co. in 1928 - 1931
Scope and Contents:
Contents of this collection include blueprints, drawings, technical manuals, reference material, correspondence, financial information, event programs, photographs, newspapers and clippings, magazines, pamphlets, brochures, journals, books.
The researcher should note that the collection also contains 35mm, 16mm and 8mm films. These films are not included in the container list but a NASM Archives staff person can assist you regarding access.
Arrangement:
Organized into series:
SERIES 1: Correspondence
SERIES 2: Institute of the Aerospace Sciences (IAS) - Navy National Naval Aviation Meeting 1961 commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Naval Aviation in San Diego CA featuring the A-1 Replica
SERIES 3: Technical Materials
SERIES 4: Drawings
SERIES 5: Other Papers
SERIES 6: Publications
SERIES 7: Photographs
SERIES 8: Scrapbooks, Oversize Materials
SERIES 9: Additional Material
This collection was arranged at the time of processing to better reflect its main areas of subject matter as there was very little original order preserved. Original folder titles were kept when they appeared; archivists' folder titles are in brackets. Archivist's description appears below folder titles.
Series 9 represents an accrual of documents found within the archive in 2024.
Biographical / Historical:
Alfred Victor Verville (1890-1970), aviation pioneer and aircraft designer, was responsible for a number of important inventions in aircraft design, including welded-steel-frame fuselages and retractable landing gear. He began work with the Curtiss Aeroplane Co in 1914 and, by the end of World War I had moved through a number of manufacturers, including Curtiss (1914), T-M Airplane Co (1915), General Airplane Co (1915-17), and Fisher Body Corp, Airplane Division (1917-18). In 1918 he became involved in military aviation at the United States Army Air Corp Engineering Division, McCook Field , OH (1918-25) and served as advisor to Colonel William Mitchell during his inspection trip to Europe (1922). In 1925 he co-founded the Buhl-Verville Aircraft Co (1925-27) before striking out on his own with the Verville Aircraft Co (1928-31). Through the 1930s and 1940s he acted in a number of capacities, including periods as a consultant (1932, 1939-41); at the Bureau of Air Commerce, United States Department of Commerce (1933-36); Douglas Aircraft (1937-38); Curtiss Wright Corp (1941-42), Snead Aircraft, Technical Division (1942); and Drexel Aviation Co (1942-45). In 1945 he served as a member of the Naval Technical Mission to Europe and later joined the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics (1946-61). He retired in 1961, but continued to support aviation and aeronautics until his death.
Provenance:
Alfred Verville, gift, 1954
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
MAN AG ; Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG ; American M.A.N. Corp. (NY) ; Search this
Notes content:
one piece OVERSIZE ; Includes records in German , French , and Spanish . Engines ; automotive engines ; diesel engines ; engines for diesel-electric rail cars ; boat engines ; motor yachts ; passenger and freight railway vehicles ; trucks and buses ; turbo machinery ; printing machines ; cargo cranes ; Japanese , South American , and German cargo motorships ; with photograph album "50 Years Diesel Engine" ; The company was instrumental in providing practical applications for Rudolf Diesel's invention of the diesel engine.
Includes:
Trade catalog, photographs and histories
Black and white images
Color images
Physical description:
198 pieces; 3 boxes
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
Nuremberg, Germany
Date:
1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Automobiles and automotive equipment (including trucks and buses) Search this
Boats and ships (including marine hardware and supplies) Search this
Engines and motors: steam; oil; gas; etc. Search this
Materials handling equipment (includes barrels; bottling and filling; casters; chains; etc.) Search this
Printing; publishing; paper and bookselling (including type specimens) Search this
Railroad; streetcar; subway and tramway equipment and supplies Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Search this
Extent:
5 Cubic feet (14 boxes and 1 map-folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Blueprints
Photographs
Date:
1890-1928
Scope and Contents:
Papers, comprised mostly of business correspondence (typescript, handwritten, and letter press books), from Edwin Rust's career as an engineer, specializing in boilers and steam engines. Also included are agreements, receipts, telegrams, blueprints, sketches, job cost records, rate of wages (Antrim Iron Company), daily labor reports (Elk Rapid Iron Company) and publications such as Iron Age.
Some letters relate to various engineering companies Rust was associated with, including the Rust Boiler Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company of Pueblo, Colorado; The Elk Rapids Iron Company, Michigan; the Rust-Helander Engineering Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; the Rust Engineering Company, Birmingham, Alabama. Rust's brother Henry is one of the correspondents. Some of the personal correspondence relates to Rust's membership in various clubs such as the Duquense Club and Antelpoe Park Club. Photographs of Edwin G. Rust and boilers and boiler equipment are also included in the papers.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into four series.
Series 1: Biographical, 1912-1925
Series 2: Correspondence, 1893-1928
Series 3: Patents, 1890-1920
Series 4: Photographs, 1902-1918
Series 5: Drawings, Blueprints and Sketches, 1886-1917
Biographical / Historical:
Edwin Gray Rust (1869-1925) was born in Leesburg, Viginia and attended Lehigh University, graduating in 1894 with a degree in mechanical engineering. During the Spanish American War he served as an assistant engineer with the rank of junior lieutenant and during World War Two, he served in the production department of the Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC). EFC was established by the United States Shipping Board, in 1917to acquire, maintain, and operate merchant ships to meet national defense, foreign and domestic commerce during World War I. As an engineer, Rust specialized in boilers, inventing the Rust water tube bolier (US 710,340) and later founded the Rust Boiler Company.
Provenance:
Originally collected for the Division of Agriculture and Extractive Industries' reference collections. Original provenance is unknown.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
